Royal wedding: Sam Branson blasts wedding 'circus'

WEDDING fever has not infected all of Prince William’s friends.

Sam Branson has not been invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding

Sam Branson, son of Virgin tycoon Sir Richard (who has offered his Caribbean retreat Necker Island, for the royal honeymoon) has dismissed the forthcoming celebrations as “a sycophantic circus”.

Sam, 26, tells me: “It’s the epitome of the sycophancy of modern media. I’m very happy for the couple but the whole thing has become a national obsession. Why is this all people are talking about when there’s so much more going on in Haiti, Libya and Japan?”

The rather peevish views of the heir to the Branson billions may explain why he is not on William’s guest list, while his sister Holly and his parents are. Society actress Isabella Calthorpe (with whom Sam has just reignited a romance, after a year’s break) will also not be going.

Sam’s exclusion is surprising, given his previous closeness to William, with whom he has holidayed on Necker and who went to his 21st birthday party.

He has also been a regular at those infamous Highgrove drinking sessions hosted by Prince Harry and is a longstanding friend of both Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Yet Sam, who was speaking at a screening of The Volunteer, a documentary about helping earthquake victims in Haiti, which Isabella co-directed with Hugo Chittenden, appears unfazed by not being asked to Westminster Abbey, adding: “I’ve no qualms at all about not being invited. Kate and William are a great couple and I wish them all the best.”

Other friends wonder whether Sam’s noninclusion says more about William’s feelings for Isabella, the willowy blonde property heiress whom he pursued – unsuccessfully – during his break from Kate Middleton.

At that time, one chum observed: “William was really keen on Isabella but she had no wish to join the royal circus.”